Pep Guardiola is reflecting on his role as Manchester City manager after witnessing his team’s struggles deepen with a seventh defeat in just ten matches. This run continued as goals from Dusan Vlahovic and Weston McKennie led Juventus to a 2-0 victory in the Champions League clash in Turin.
Looking ahead, City faces Paris Saint-Germain in their next match, knowing that another loss could see them plummet to the bottom of the Champions League group and risk an embarrassing early exit from the tournament before the knockout stages.
Despite facing a Juventus team that has been underwhelming, with only one win in their last six outings, City found it difficult to generate scoring opportunities. With a crucial Premier League match against Manchester United approaching, Guardiola openly admitted to questioning his own strategies and decisions as the team continues to struggle.
“Of course, I am questioning myself,” Guardiola stated. “I try to find a way to do it. I’m incredibly honest. If we play well, we play well. The dressing room is stable. When we win, we are happy; when we lose, we are not. So, what can we do? We have to improve and move forward.”
Although this dip in performance marks one of the toughest periods of his managerial career, Guardiola remains resolute, insisting this is not his greatest challenge. “My biggest challenge is to get results as I had in the early seasons at Barcelona. Life has ups and downs, and sometimes you encounter a rough patch. I’ll keep working hard until we rectify the situation,” he added.
Midfielder Ilkay Gündogan raised the concern of confidence impacting the team’s performance and suggested it is also a mental hurdle. However, Guardiola disagreed with this assessment, claiming that the team has performed well, except for a couple of recent matches. He emphasized that the key issue is a lack of precision in the final third, rather than defensive errors.
Guardiola remains focused on the goal of qualifying for the next stage of the Champions League, stating that earning points in Paris is critical. “We need one point, or three points. We must go to Paris to try and achieve that, and then make sure to perform well in the final home game,” he affirmed.
In summary, while Manchester City is currently facing challenging times, Guardiola’s unwavering commitment to his team and their potential for recovery offers hope for the near future. The upcoming matches will be crucial in determining the team’s trajectory and ability to regain form.